WC2010 - as seen on TV

[From Despair To Where?]

ITV are just consistantly poor at sport.

For a major station to have such appalling front line commentators as Tyldesley and Drury is a disgrace. It's almost as if they are constantly looking for that "Wolstenholme moment", that defining soundbite so they always sound so utterly contrived and scripted.

Tyldesley's son is a Reading supporter isn't he? Is he registered on here? If so, I think we've found our sole ITV voter

You'd be surprised how much Tyldesley earns for watching footy and talking shite.

No I wouldn't. ITV are addicted to chucking obscene amounts of money at BBC cast offs.

EDIT - Wasn't watching the game on HD so wondered what the pathetic apology was for at half time. Assumed the transmission went down, which to be honest, would be more forgiveable than cutting to an advert.

ITV really have to take a long hard look at themselves and their ability to cover live sport. So should the sporting authorities who give them coverage rights. I know Formula 1 was more than happy to see the back of ITV.

To happen once is forgivable, to happen twice is beyond negligent

[readingfc13]

I watched the Argentina game on BBC today and I have to say just how impressed I was with Jonathan Pearce. He was both interesting and knowledgeable about the game, rather than trying to badly create emotion like they do on ITV. ITV aren't interested in showing good coverage of the football (as tonight showed) but merely getting viewers in - who have no alternatives - for advertising profit. The mistake on ITV HD tonight was unforgivable and it is the second time it has happened on ITV (the first being Everton - Liverpool in the FA cup). It's just not on.

The football is fit for the world, sadly the coverage is utterly amateur.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

ITV oxf*rd idiots missing the goal on HD

[URZZZZZZZZ]

Was the game on BBC if you pressed the red button?

[From Despair To Where?]

I watched the Argentina game on BBC today and I have to say just how impressed I was with Jonathan Pearce. He was both interesting and knowledgeable about the game, rather than trying to badly create emotion like they do on ITV. ITV aren't interested in showing good coverage of the football (as tonight showed) but merely getting viewers in - who have no alternatives - for advertising profit. The mistake on ITV HD tonight was unforgivable and it is the second time it has happened on ITV (the first being Everton - Liverpool in the FA cup). It's just not on.

The football is fit for the world, sadly the coverage is utterly amateur.

Agree 100%

People slag off Jonathan Pearce but I think he is an excellent commentator. Reminds me of Barry Davies. Knowledgable, says enough without overburdening what's happening and shows a real supporters' enjoyment of a decent game of football.

I commented earlier about the ITV commentators trying to contrive their own "Wolstenholme moment". The thing with Wolstenholme is that he was totally absorbed in the moment, describing the action, momentarily distracted by an unexpected event and then bang, spur of the moment hook line that totally encapsulates the moment, completely inspired, utterly uncontrived, and absolute commentating gold.

[chilipepper91]

I watched the Argentina game on BBC today and I have to say just how impressed I was with Jonathan Pearce. He was both interesting and knowledgeable about the game, rather than trying to badly create emotion like they do on ITV. ITV aren't interested in showing good coverage of the football (as tonight showed) but merely getting viewers in - who have no alternatives - for advertising profit. The mistake on ITV HD tonight was unforgivable and it is the second time it has happened on ITV (the first being Everton - Liverpool in the FA cup). It's just not on.

The football is fit for the world, sadly the coverage is utterly amateur.

Agree 100%

People slag off Jonathan Pearce but I think he is an excellent commentator. Reminds me of Barry Davies. Knowledgable, says enough without overburdening what's happening and shows a real supporters' enjoyment of a decent game of football.

I commented earlier about the ITV commentators trying to contrive their own "Wolstenholme moment". The thing with Wolstenholme is that he was totally absorbed in the moment, describing the action, momentarily distracted by an unexpected event and then bang, spur of the moment hook line that totally encapsulates the moment, completely inspired, utterly uncontrived, and absolute commentating gold.

This. Tyldesley and Drury try to instil passion and emotion into their commentary, but their one-liners just sound like a smart-arse comment, it's almost embarrassingly cheesy. Having said that, people will know how much I sing the praises of Jim Beglin - one of the best co-comms of recent years. Andy Townsend, however..

[Archie's penalty]

Love the way on the BBC website you can watch the game and listen to the radio commentary at the same time. Brill!

[Royalee]

ITV should be banned from EVER showing football again after last night - once in that Everton Liverpool game was bad enough.

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

Even the Beeb are pissing me off this tournament, though. I've tuned in a couple of times to the end of evening highlight shows as I've missed a couple of games during the day only to find these programmes show all of 3 minutes of highlights of each game and the rest is filled with stories and interviews and other pointless crap. With being at work for the day time kick-offs, the end of day catch ups is the only way I'm going to get to see a lot of the first round games and I was hoping for more than 3 minutes a match.

[Dirk Gently]

It's quite simple.

Commercial broadcasters exist to deliver viewers to their sponsors, not to deliver quality programming that their viewers want. One might lead to the other, but not always. But as the people who pay them are teh sponsors, and only indirectly the viewing audience, guess who gets the biggest say on a day-to-day basis?

Public service broadcasters exist to deliver quality programming to their viewers.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Public service broadcasters exist to deliver quality programming to their viewers.

Thats the theory anyway

[papereyes]

The BBC did let themselves down on sat evening with an hour 'highlights' program and about 3 minutes of Argentina vs Nigeria and completely missing South Korea vs Greece.

[6ft Kerplunk]

Who are those two idiots going round South Africa showing us everything we don't want to know about stuff slightly related to the world cup. Its not Blue Peter, fvck off.

[Whore Jackie]

Seriously hoping that now it's back to a working week, the highlights of the lunchtime and 3pm games are given suitable airtime. Bit of banter with Lee Dixon and A.N.Other player-pundit fine, report from the England training camp fine; Motty's Magic Moments, two dicks on a bus etc etc can fvcking do one.

[Tails]

ITV (I assume its them) have it as a Poulson own goal - surely it is obvious that it should go down as an Agger OG.

Who is the Scot co-commentating? Clueless.

[Silver Fox]

It's quite simple.

Commercial broadcasters exist to deliver viewers to their sponsors, not to deliver quality programming that their viewers want. One might lead to the other, but not always. But as the people who pay them are teh sponsors, and only indirectly the viewing audience, guess who gets the biggest say on a day-to-day basis?

You say that Dirk but did you see the story in Private Eye this month? Fans will have been rightly peeved with ITV failing to show goals for the second time but possibly (hopefully) more damaging to them will be the story that Nike were none too chuffed to have ITV cut off the last 10 seconds of their new epic ad when it was premiered during the Champions league final. With their ad revenues declining already surely they can't afford too many fvck ups like that can they?

[Man Friday]

BBC without Motson > BBC with Motson > ITV.

Spot on.

[Seal]

It's quite simple.

Commercial broadcasters exist to deliver viewers to their sponsors, not to deliver quality programming that their viewers want. One might lead to the other, but not always. But as the people who pay them are teh sponsors, and only indirectly the viewing audience, guess who gets the biggest say on a day-to-day basis?

Public service broadcasters exist to deliver quality programming to their viewers.

Not quite that simple.

The worse ITV's coverage, the less viewers they get for games - especially later in the tournament when they go head to head and get trounced by BBC.

Therefore their viewing number are much lower, meaning lowers TVRs, which equals lower value of advertising spot, making them far less attractive for advertisers (and their TV buyers) and ultimately far lower ad revenues.

If the quality of programming was higher they could achieve far greater revenue. It always makes me astonished to see how poor their sport productions are (especially bearing in mind their budgets are comparable to BBC sport).

[ScottishRoyal]

ITV (I assume its them) have it as a Poulson own goal - surely it is obvious that it should go down as an Agger OG.

Who is the Scot co-commentating? Clueless.

Agreed. The initial header, as bad as it was, was going well wide. And it's Craig Burley BTW.

[BR2]

Did you notice how many times Adrian Chiles said how nervous he was during the England game,so much so that he tried to get Viera to say how nervous he was as well when quite clearly he wasn't.
All this out of Africa stuff as well from both channels-Junior Hollins this morning giving us lessons in how to call a cab in South Africa.
Riveting stuff eh?